1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to product dispensers, and more particularly to, but not by way of limitation, to a method and apparatus for sanitizing or cleansing a drip tray of a product dispenser.
2. Description of the Related Art
Product dispensers on the market typically are sold with a drip tray and a cup rest attached. The drip tray serves as a safeguard to catch and control overspray and overfill of product. The drip tray also ends up as a disposal site for unwanted drinks, unwanted ice and in cases where the dispenser is not producing the product in the right proportions, bad dispenses.
Two types of drip trays exist, draining and non-draining. Draining drip trays are typically hard-plumbed to the drain lines of a building. The non-draining drip trays are not plumbed and must be emptied on a regular basis, or immediately when full. For this reason, drip trays on product dispensers with shelf stable products are usually installed with a hard mounted drain. The installed drain enables the users to dispose of items through a hard-plumbed, permanent sewer disposal system, thereby avoiding the mess associated with overflowing of the non-draining drip tray.
In some cases, where it would be unpleasant for the product or product concentrate spills to sit in the drip tray for extended periods, the drip trays are removable, thereby forcing the operators to clean the drip trays daily. Problems with this situation arise when operators do not clean the drip trays on a regular basis. For example, uncleaned drip trays in citrus dispensers can attract fruit flies, as well as cause unpleasant odors or bacterial growth.
Still another level of cleanliness is required for products that belong to the dairy family. Milk or milk concentrate will spoil quickly if a remnant is left exposed in a drip tray or even a drain. Spoiled milk or dairy products around a dispenser can cause foul odors, be unsightly, and promote bacterial growth. Milk dispensers on the market typically do not have more than a catch basin, if they have any sort of drip tray at all. Accordingly, a sanitizing system for a drip tray would be both beneficial and effective in promoting a cleaner product dispenser and surrounding environment.